十一月 It is November.
一轮明月升起 A full moon rises.
约40万公里之遥的地球仿佛中了魔法一般 Almost 400,000 kilometers away, Planet Earth falls under its spell.
海波微动 Our oceans stir.
正在进行一场古老的海底仪式 An ancient undersea ritual is underway.
这件事的结果 The outcome of this event
不仅影响周围海水中的海洋生物 will not only affect marine life in the surrounding waters,
而且也会给我们一个关于 but will also give us a clue
整个海洋系统状况的线索 about the health of the entire ocean system.
主角生物就是珊瑚 The creature responsible is coral.
这是珊瑚的故事 And this is coral's story.
故事伴随着大量珊瑚产卵 The story begins here,
这一难以置信的场景开始 with the incredible phenomenon that is mass coral spawning.
这是由太阳和月亮控制的年度大事 It's an annual event, cued by the sun and the moon.
它涉及超过140个不同物种 It involves over 140 different species,
并且已经持续了数千年之久 and has been occurring for thousands of years.
尽管珊瑚没有大脑和眼睛 Although corals have no brain and no eyes,
但单一物种却能同时繁殖 somehow individual species spawn together,
有时就在几分钟之内 sometimes down to the minute.
就像微型情书 Like tiny love-letters,
基因物质混入洋流 the genetic material is cast into the ocean currents,
连接数千公里长的珊瑚礁 connecting reefs over hundreds of kilometers.
像我们一样，珊瑚花9个月准备繁殖 Like us, corals take up to nine months to prepare for birth.
但很多是雌雄同体，所以它们同时释放卵子和精子 But many are hermaphrodites, so they gestate both egg and sperm.
在产卵之夜 On spawning night,
它们聚成团块，并从珊瑚嘴中释放出来 these are grouped into bundles and delivered through the coral's mouth.
对大多数来说，这是一次无痛的出生 For most, it's a gentle birth.
这一大团很快就分裂开 Over a short time-span, the bundles break apart
卵子和精子必须从其它地方找到它们的另一半 and the egg and sperm must find their counterparts from another colony.
数十亿里只有很少能存活下来 Billions set forth, but few survive.
很多其它生物用同样方法繁殖 Many other creatures choose the same conditions to spawn
礁脉中的水流变成了 and the reef waters are transformed
一个巨大的充满精子和卵子的液态子宫 into a vast liquid womb, clouded with eggs and sperm.
大规模产卵使潜在的捕食者忙不过来 Mass spawning overwhelms potential predators,
这使珊瑚卵有更多机会受精并占领一片新天地 so the coral eggs have more chance to be fertilized and begin a new colony.
白天，巨大的光滑海面标记出它们的路线 By daybreak, vast slicks on the surface mark their passage.
珊瑚不仅是水下建筑师 Coral is an architect not only of the undersea world,
在水面上也同样 but above the surface too.
死去的珊瑚掉落沙中 Dead coral breaks down into sand
并最终形成珊瑚礁 that eventually builds up to create coral cays.
这些海岸和浅滩为许多 These shores and shallows provide sanctuary -
别的生物提供庇护所和重要的繁殖地 and important breeding grounds - for a variety of other creatures.
总而言之，数百万年来，造礁珊瑚 All told, reef-building corals have colonized every tropical ocean,
占领了每一片热带海域，塑造并保护了数千公里的海岸线 shaped and protected thousands of kilometers of coastline
还影响了海洋的演化 and influenced marine evolution for millions of years.
鸟类，比如这些燕鸥 Birds like these noddy terns
依靠珊瑚礁提供食物，珊瑚环岛提供栖地 rely on coral reefs for food and coral cays for shelter.
鸟类排泄出种子，使植物在此生长 Birds help vegetate cays by depositing seeds.
这些种子长成树和森林 These seeds grow into trees and forests
它们反过来又为鸟类提供筑巢的场所 which in turn provide the birds with nesting sites.
热带海鸟常来光顾这些多沙的边远之地 These sandy outposts are frequented by many tropical seabirds,
一些成对的鸟会返回相同的筑巢点，年复一年 with some pairs returning to the same nesting sites year after year.
原始珊瑚可追溯到四亿五千万年前 Primitive corals date back over 450 million years.
现代造礁珊瑚则出现在大约两亿五千万年前 Modern reef-building corals first emerged around 250 million years ago
从此，珊瑚礁为不计其数的 and their reefs have provided homes and sustenance
物种提供家园和食物 for innumerable species ever since.
在珊瑚的漫长历史中，经历过五次大灭绝 Over coral's long history, five mass extinctions have come and gone.
每次都有超过90%的生命形态消失 During each, up to 90% of all life-forms perished.
其中的两次 Two of these extinctions
发生在现代造礁珊瑚崛起时 occurred during the rise of modern reef-building corals.
它们并没有失去活力，而是存活下来 Rather than falter, they somehow survived,
重塑岸礁 rebuilt their reefs
并再次改变了海洋 and transformed the oceans anew.
现在，珊瑚礁生态系统是许多标志性 Today, coral reef ecosystems are important nursery grounds
海洋生物的重要繁殖地，如海龟 for many iconic marine animals, such as the sea turtle.
有7种海龟 There are seven species of sea turtle
寿命很长且生长缓慢 and all are long-lived and slow-growing.
它们需要10到30年才能性成熟并在海洋中交配 They take between 10 to 30 years to sexually mature and mate at sea.
这些海洋爬行动物一生中 These marine reptiles are nomadic
要在海洋中游历数千公里 and swim thousands of kilometers during their lives.
但强烈的本能和谜一样的自然力量引导着它们 But strong instinct and mysterious natural forces guide them,
以致当雌龟要产卵时 so that when a female needs to lay her eggs,
会回到它出生的海滩 she returns to the very beach where she was born to do so.
她在沙地上挖洞作为孵化室 Here, she digs a nest and coral sand becomes the womb.
数百只蛋孵化，却只有一两个能长到成年 Hundreds hatch, but only one or two will make it to adulthood.
然后它们可以存活一个世纪 They can then live for up to a century.
如果有只100年前出生的海龟 When a turtle hatched 100 years ago,
它会目睹珊瑚礁的全盛时期 it would have seen the world's coral reefs in all their glory.
工业文明前的海是清澈干净的 Pre-industrial seas were clean and clear
数百万年来，珊瑚拥有良好的生长环境 and corals had enjoyed good conditions for millions of years.
从印度洋到太平洋 Throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans,
从加勒比海到西大西洋 and into the Caribbean and west Atlantic,
珊瑚礁茁壮成长 reefs were thriving.
年轻的海龟游历于珊瑚礁之中 The turtle spent its youth exploring these reefs
并见证了珊瑚创造的工程奇迹 and witnessed the engineering marvel that is coral.
通过利用太阳能和完美的回收机制 By harnessing the power of the sun and perfecting recycling,
珊瑚建造了使人类自愧弗如的节能都市 coral built energy-efficient cities that put many of ours to shame.
这些都市聚集在一起成为巨大的帝国 Collectively, these cities created vast empires,
有些从外太空都能看见 some visible from outer space.
在这里，海龟发现自己有很多伙伴 Here, the turtle found itself in great company,
因为这些海底帝国是许多海洋生物的家园 for these undersea empires were home to vast numbers of marine species
任何形状，任何体型，只要你想象得到 of every imaginable shape and size
这里是个热闹非凡，五彩缤纷的世界 and were crowded, colorful places.
在众生态系统中，珊瑚礁是最富生物多样性的 Today, reefs have one of the highest levels of biodiversity
地方之一 of any ecosystem
也是地球上对生物学研究最重要的地区之一 and are some of the most biologically important places on Earth.
海龟和珊瑚共同目睹了 Together, turtles and corals have witnessed many changes
水下世界的变化 to their watery world.
它们是在6500万年前发生的 They are some of the only beings
最后一次大灭绝事件中 to have survived the last mass extinction event
幸存下来的生物 65 million years ago.
科学家预测在下个世纪 Scientists predict that in the coming century,
它们将会面临比上次大灭绝 they will face ocean conditions
更具灾难性的海洋环境 as catastrophic as during that last extinction.
精明的老海龟已经看到了警告 Wise old turtles have seen the warning signs for a while.
全世界70%的珊瑚礁已经被毁灭 70% of the world's reefs have already been destroyed
或被严重威胁 or are seriously threatened.
七种海龟中有六种 And all but one of the seven sea turtle species
被列为濒危或非常接近灭绝 are classified 'endangered' or 'critically endangered'.
几百万年来第一次 For the first time in millions of years,
海龟和珊瑚的未来变得那么不确定 the future of both turtle and coral is uncertain.
珊瑚礁的健康状况受许多因素影响 Many things affect the health of coral reefs,
特别是水温，海平面高度和海水成分 in particular, sea temperature, sea level and water chemistry.
珊瑚礁可能看起来很坚固，但珊瑚本身很脆弱 Reefs may look mighty, but corals themselves are fragile
它们会因环境的细小变化而受到致命伤害 and can be fatally harmed by just subtle changes in their environment.
当海平面上升过快时，珊瑚生长不够快 When sea levels rise too rapidly, corals can't grow fast enough
导致珊瑚礁被淹没 and reefs drown.
由于大气中二氧化碳含量增加 As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase,
海洋酸化加剧，珊瑚礁将会溶解 ocean acidification intensifies and reefs will dissolve.
海水温度持续升高1-2℃时 And a sustained increase of only 1-2 degrees in ocean temperature
会导致珊瑚白化并死亡 can cause corals to bleach and die.
据预测，全球气温将在本世纪末 By the end of this century, it's predicted that the global climate
升高5°C甚至更多 could be 5 degrees Celsius hotter or more.
按照这一速度，珊瑚白化每年都会发生 At this rate, bleaching will become an annual occurrence,
这多姿多彩的美景将最终消逝 and this colorful landscape will literally fade away.
健康的珊瑚礁很容易被看到 A healthy coral reef is easy to spot.
这是个充满色彩，多样性和生命活动的复杂结构 A complex structure awash with color, variety and activity.
这个复杂的热带花园能与陆地上任何事物匹敌 This is a tangled, tropical garden to rival anything on land.
这花园中最令人惊异的是 Most amazing about this garden
许多“植物”其实是动物 is that many of the 'plants' are actually animals.
像紧握的手掌 Like grasping hands,
珊瑚的嘴贪婪地过滤水流筛选食物 coral mouths hungrily sift the passing currents for food
不分昼夜 day and night.
我们所说的“珊瑚”是一种原始的囊状水螅 The creature we call 'coral' is a primitive sac-like polyp,
一部分是动物，一部分是植物 part animal, part plant.
动物部分以浮游生物为食 The animal part feeds on plankton.
植物部分由细微的水藻—虫黄藻—构成 The plant part consists of microscopic algae -
利用阳光进行光合作用 called zooxanthellae - that photosynthesize using sunlight.
每只水螅都和周围连成一片 Each polyp is connected to its neighbor,
传递能量与营养 passing along energy and nutrients.
它们不断繁衍创造新领地 These polyps multiply to create colonies,
并结合起来形成珊瑚礁 which combine to form reefs.
通过这种方式，整个生态系统的能量 In this way, energy is produced, shared and recycled
得以生产，分享及循环 throughout the entire ecosystem.
利用它们生产的能量，珊瑚不仅蓬勃发展 With the energy they produce, corals not only thrive
而且制造出用来建造珊瑚礁的 but also manufacture calcium carbonate,
特殊“混凝土”，碳酸钙 the special 'concrete' that builds reefs.
这是隐藏在珊瑚巨大帝国建筑背后的秘密之一 This is one secret behind corals' great empire building.
另一个是无性繁殖 The other is budding.
无性繁殖就是珊瑚虫复制一个 Budding is a process where coral polyps produce
和自己的基因完全相同的副本 genetically identical copies of themselves
不需要产卵就可拓展它们的领地 and extend their colonies without spawning.
硬珊瑚分泌出碳酸钙基底 The calcium carbonate foundation secreted by hard corals
有些地方的基底有悠久的历史 can be one kilometer thick in places
并可能达到一公里厚 and hundreds of thousands of years old.
我们看到的活礁石只是最上面的薄薄一层 The living reef we see today is just a thin veneer on top,
由许多不同的物种构成 made up of many different species,
包括软珊瑚… including soft corals...
…扇珊瑚 ..fan corals...
…海绵，柳珊瑚和海百合 ..and sponges, gorgonians and crinoids.
众所周知，珊瑚已经进化出1000多种硬珊瑚 All told, coral has evolved into more than 1,000 hard coral species
700多种软珊瑚 and over 700 soft corals,
每一种都将自己放在合适的地方 each perfectly specialized to fill its own niche.
了解珊瑚礁的形成 Understanding how corals build reefs
突显了气候变化的严重性 highlights the seriousness of climate change
以及它如何威胁这复杂的生态系统 and how it threatens this complex ecosystem.
海洋像巨大的海绵，一直在吸收大气中的二氧化碳 Our oceans have always absorbed atmospheric CO2 like a giant sponge.
但现在二氧化碳含量过高，导致水中化学成分改变 But now those levels are so high that the water chemistry is changing -
这个过程被称作“海洋酸化” a process referred to as 'ocean acidification'.
碱度降低 Alkalinity is falling
自然存在的碳酸根离子受到影响 and naturally-occurring carbonate ions are being affected.
许多海洋生物需要这些离子制造碳酸钙 Many marine creatures need these ions to produce calcium carbonate
来形成它们的外壳及骨架 for their shells and skeletons.
硬珊瑚需要它们来建造珊瑚礁 Hard corals need them to build reefs.
海洋酸化严重威胁到所有这些过程 Ocean acidification seriously threatens all these processes.
但每一个自然灾害中，有赢家也有输家 But in every natural catastrophe, there are winners and losers.
水母是珊瑚的远亲 Jellyfish are distant relatives of coral,
但不像珊瑚，它们更适应 but unlike coral, they are more adaptable
水温和化学变化 to changes in water temperature and chemistry.
它们的数量还在上升 Their numbers are already on the rise.
让我们的海水变得蜇人 And they are making our seas sting.
珊瑚的另一个古代表亲是海葵 Coral's other ancient cousin is the sea anemone.
与珊瑚一样 Like coral,
海葵是非常成功的简单生物 the anemone is a simple being that has been highly successful.
事实上，海葵就像一只巨大的珊瑚虫 In fact, the anemone is like a huge coral polyp.
它的中心是一张大嘴 At its center is a mouth
围绕着一大片带刺的触手 surrounded by a vast mantle of stinging tentacles.
它的嘴里有一个充满酸性酶的巨大的胃 Within the mouth is a big stomach filled with acidic enzymes.
因为海葵没有坚实的身体结构或骨架 Because the anemone does not have a solid physical structure or skeleton,
不依赖于碳酸钙 it does not rely on calcium carbonate,
所以面对海洋酸化，它们不像珊瑚那么脆弱 so it's not as vulnerable as coral to ocean acidification.
但与珊瑚一样，变暖的海水会使一些 But, like coral, some species possess zooxanthellae algae
含有虫黄藻的品种白化 and warming seas will also cause them to bleach.
在800多种海葵中 There are over 800 species of sea anemone.
有10种是适合小丑鱼居住的 10 are suitable homes for anemone fish
这是珊瑚礁中最奇妙的伙伴关系之一 and this is one of the reef's most marvelous partnerships.
海葵的触手通常会刺痛入侵者 The anemone's tentacles normally sting invaders.
但小丑鱼身上有保护粘液 But these fish are coated with a protective mucus
使它们可以进进出出而不受伤害 and can dance in and out unharmed.
小丑鱼很少闲逛到一米以外 The fish rarely wander more than a meter away.
它们需要的所有东西都在这儿 Everything they need is right here -
食物，保护和集聚群体 scraps of food, protection and community.
没有什么可惊奇的 Not surprisingly,
这种鱼在海葵保护范围附近产卵 the fish lay their eggs near the protective folds of the anemone,
供氧并保护它们直至孵化 aerating and defending them until they hatch.
限制在一处并没有影响它们的性生活 And being stuck in one place hasn't harmed their sex life.
事实上，它们适应了这种生活 In fact, it's enhanced it.
为了让所有人满意，它们学会了变性 To keep everyone satisfied, they've mastered sex change.
如果需要雌性家长，雄性变性 If a dominant female is required, a male can change sex.
如果需要雄性家长 If a dominant male is needed,
低级别雄性会加速性成熟 a subordinate male accelerates into sexual maturity.
随着海洋环境的变化，小丑鱼似乎比大多数种类受到更好的保护 As ocean conditions change, anemone fish seem more protected than most,
它们在带刺武器的怀抱中很安全 safe within those stinging arms.
但是即使它们也不能免受威胁 But even they are not immune from danger.
所有鱼类的内部结构和器官 All fish have internal structures and organs
会随海洋酸化而衰弱 which may be weakened by ocean acidification.
现在，科学家发现 Even now, scientists are finding
鱼类的耳骨受到损伤 that the ear bones of fish are being affected,
这影响到它们的沟通方式 which is impacting the way they communicate.
如果海洋酸化不被遏制 If ocean acidification goes unchecked,
它会影响所有海洋动物的代谢过程 it may affect key metabolic processes for all marine animals.
当状况变得更具挑战性 Whenever conditions get more challenging,
自然选择的过程会更加残酷 the natural process of selection just gets more ruthless.
无法应对的会被迅速淘汰 Those that cannot cope will be quickly cast aside.
每个居民都必须争取它的生存 Every citizen must earn its keep.
这些虾集合的地点称为“清洁场” These shrimp gather in locations referred to as 'cleaning stations'.
这个特殊的地方恰巧也是海鳗的家 This particular station also happens to be the home of a moray eel.
但小虾不逃跑 But the shrimp aren't running away.
如果可以的话，它们相互竞争以靠得更近 If anything, they're competing to get closer.
虽然海鳗觉得它们很烦人 And although the eel finds the shrimp irritating,
它也只能苦笑着忍受 he just grins and bears it.
这些完全不同的物种 The reason why these entirely different species
相互容忍的原因是 tolerate one another
它们有个心照不宣的协议 is because they have an unspoken agreement.
虾需要承担清除寄生虫 The shrimp has the important job of removing parasites
和腐肉的重要工作 as well as dying or dead flesh.
这些对海鳗来说是致命的 These can be fatal to the moray,
却为虾提供了丰盛大餐 but provide a delicious banquet for the shrimp.
动物们忙于应对珊瑚礁中的复杂关系 Animals are engaged in complex relationships right across the reef.
单打独斗是非常冒险的 Going solo is risky business.
如果要尝试，你最好聪明些 And if you're going to attempt it, you'd better be very clever.
其中一个聪明的生存战术就是伪装 One clever survival tactic is camouflage.
装饰蟹把海绵，珊瑚，海葵附到它的壳上 Decorator crabs attach tiny sponges, corals and anemones to their shells
看上去更像一个行走的花盆 and look more like walking flowerbeds than animals.
其它的试图通过将有毒海绵放头上来隐匿 Others attempt to go incognito by placing toxic sponges on their heads,
像这些名副其实的带帽蟹 like these aptly-named hat-carrying crabs.
海绵是活的生物，但蟹可不在乎 Sponges are living creatures, but the crab doesn't care,
它们把海绵切成合适自己体型的尺寸 cutting the sponge up into whatever size fits.
其他蟹收集海藻叶 Other crabs collect forest leaves
用作伪装和悬挂式滑翔器 and use them for disguise and as hang-gliders.
拳击蟹把微小的毒海葵当做拳击手套 Boxer crabs are always ready for a fight,
随时准备战斗 with tiny poisonous anemones as boxing gloves.
寄居蟹披挂二手外壳来加固自己的防弹衣 Hermit crabs reinforce their own body armor by wearing second-hand shells.
随着蟹的成长 Bigger shells must be found
它们必须找到更大的外壳 as the crab grows
这让它们有很多塑造独特外形的机会 and this gives the crab lots of time to develop its own unique look.
许多老道的寄居蟹寻找带刺的海葵 More sophisticated hermit crabs collect stinging anemones
换壳的时候把它们弄下来 and will remove these anemones and reattach them
并放到新外壳上 whenever they change shells.
蟹类历史可追溯到2亿年之前的侏罗纪时代 Crabs date back to Jurassic times 200 million years ago
现存种类超过一万个 and over 10,000 species exist.
它们很顽强，即使少了四条腿也不会使它们慢下来 They're hardy souls - even missing half their legs won't slow them down.
它们还是机会主义者 And they're great opportunists -
有些在海参的嘴里寻找食物 some feasting inside a sea cucumber's mouth.
海参有些非凡的身体适应性 Sea cucumbers have some remarkable physical adaptations themselves.
它们通过尾部呼吸 They breathe through their rear end,
通过管足利用水压前进 move on hydraulically-powered tube feet,
海参体壁有一种特殊的胶原蛋白 and have a special collagen in their body wall
使它们能够迅速改变身体形状 that enables them to radically change shape.
它们从身体前部产卵 They also spawn from their forehead.
海参很少有天敌 Sea cucumbers have few natural predators.
难怪虾蟹喜欢把它们当做出租车 So it's no wonder they're a popular taxi ride for crabs and shrimp.
因为海参用身体前端挑起食物 Because the sea cucumber stirs up food with its front end,
虾蟹甚至能获得一份免费的食物 there's even a free meal as part of the ticket.
裸腮软体动物也非常适合搭便车 Nudibranchs are also great to hitchhike.
这些剧毒的海蛞蝓 These highly poisonous sea slugs
在通过危险开阔地时提供安全通道 offer guaranteed safe passage through dangerous open territory,
虾则在路上负责清洁 with the shrimps scavenging on the run.
但对第一流的旅行来说 But for first-class travel,
没什么比得上喷水推进式的水母 nothing compares to a jet-propelled jellyfish.
魔毯在珊瑚上方滑过，以扁虫的形式 Magic carpets also glide above the reef, in the form of flatworms.
扁虫和裸腮软体动物没有外壳 Flatworms and nudibranchs don't have shells,
所以利用化学战保护自己 so draw on chemical warfare as defense.
有些吃有毒的水螅和海葵 Some eat toxic hydroids and anemones
并将毒素隔离在皮肤内 and sequester poison in their skin,
这使它们对潜在的猎食者来说具有毒性 which in turn makes them poisonous to any potential predator.
明亮鲜艳的颜色与图案宣告它们的毒性 They advertise their toxicity with bright, bold colors and patterns,
也使它们美丽非凡 which have conspired to make them incredibly beautiful.
和外貌一样，它们的性格也同样狂野 They are as wild in character as they are in appearance.
腮在背上，性器官在两边 They have gills on their backs, sex organs on their sides
它们都是雌雄同体 and all of them are hermaphrodites.
还有些是同类相食的 And some are fierce cannibals.
试图在交配中吃掉你的爱人是难以接受的 Trying to eat your lover during sex is not quite acceptable,
但吃个表亲还是可以的 but snacking on a cousin is fine.
海星和海蛞蝓一样居住在海底 Joining the sea slugs on the ocean's floor are the sea stars.
海星常被称作“星鱼” Sea stars are often referred to as starfish,
但它们完全不是鱼类，它们是棘皮动物 but they're not fish at all, they're echinoderms.
棘皮动物可追溯到5亿年前 Echinoderms date back over 500 million years,
比珊瑚的演变早 so predate the evolution of coral.
它们进化出很多生命形式 They have evolved into a wide range of life forms
共同点是棘刺 and what many have in common is the spine.
海胆全身是刺 Urchins are some of the most heavily spined of all,
但对于色彩协调的虾和蟹，这并不是威胁 but for some color-coordinated crabs and shrimp, this isn't a deterrent.
它们已经适应在刺与刺的间隙生活 They've adapted to live amongst the spines
并一生都在那里 and remain there all their lives.
这是珊瑚礁中典型的共生案例 It's a classic case of symbiosis on a reef and worlds within worlds.
热带海洋就像蓝色沙漠，非常缺少营养 Tropical oceans are like vast blue deserts and largely nutrient poor.
在珊瑚礁中，什么都不能浪费 On coral reefs, nothing goes to waste.
这里进化出各种专业滤食性动物 Various specialist filter feeders have evolved
筛过流经的水流 to sift the passing currents -
捕捉，消化并回收每一块食物 capturing, digesting and recycling every available bit of food.
在所有滤食性动物中，蠕虫是数量和种类最多的 Worms are among the most numerous and diverse of all filter feeders.
现存有2万个海洋种类 20,000 marine species exist
与陆地上的蠕虫不同，它们是有毒的束状物 and, unlike the earth worms, they're an exotic bunch.
就如它们的名字 Befitting their name,
圣诞树蠕虫打开它节日羽毛般的口器 Christmas-tree worms unfurl festive, feathery mouth parts,
把它们当做细小的网 which they use like tiny nets.
它们的身体埋在珊瑚礁之中，很少能看见 Their bodies, meanwhile, are buried in the coral and rarely seen.
同样难得一见的是蓝带鳗 Equally shy are ribbon eels.
它们一生中大部分时间躲在洞穴中 They spend most of their time concealed in deep burrows,
只有头伸出来 with just their heads peeking out.
它们是海鳗的亲戚 They're relatives of moray eels
张开的嘴使它们看起来具有进攻性 and their gaping mouths make them look aggressive.
但它们仅仅在呼吸 But they're simply breathing,
夸张的鼻孔是在嗅找食物 with their exaggerated nostrils sniffing for food.
采用同样生活方式的是花园鳗 Adopting the same lifestyle are garden eels.
大群纤细的花园鳗从沙中升起 These delicate sea serpents rise from the sand in vast communities,
表演催眠印度蛇舞 performing their hypnotic Indian snake dance.
它们对掠食者保持警惕 Ever watchful for predators,
从经过的水流中紧张地采食浮游生物 they nervously pluck plankton from passing currents,
并用尾巴将自己固定住 their tails anchoring them down.
由于珊瑚的漫长历史 Because of corals' longevity on our planet,
它们被当做活化石 they're considered our living fossils.
另一个活化石是鹦鹉螺 Another living fossil still with us today is the nautilus.
它是一种古老的软体动物，当软体动物最终丢掉外壳 It's an ancient mollusk, whose line eventually dropped its shell...
就带来了头足类动物的时代 ..and gave rise to the age of the cephalopods.
有珊瑚礁的地方就有头足动物 Cephalopods are synonymous with the reef
拟态章鱼是最有趣的动物之一 and one of the most intriguing is the mimic octopus.
如同它名字中暗示的 As its name implies,
它模仿超过15种动物 the octopus mimics the physical likeness and movements
外表和行动方式 of more than 15 different species,
包括海蛇，狮子鱼，鲽鱼和鬼蟹 including sea snakes, lionfish, flounder and ghost crabs.
它是自然中最伟大的柔术演员 It's one of nature's great contortionists.
如果它不想被看到，那就肯定不会 If it doesn't want to be seen, it certainly won't be.
许多种章鱼都生活在珊瑚礁附近 Many species of octopus live in the vicinity of reefs
真正的珊瑚礁专家是它 and a true reef specialist is this -
昼章鱼 the day octopus.
这种章鱼是伟大的猎手，鱼儿们匆忙保护它们的卵 These octopus are great hunters and fish hurry to defend their eggs.
章鱼是如此贪吃 And being so tasty themselves,
这使它们不得不发展出高明的捕猎技巧 octopus have had to develop excellent martial arts skills.
它们有无脊椎动物中最为复杂的大脑 They have the most complex brain of any invertebrate
能同时处理全部八条触手传递的信息 and can process information from all eight arms at once.
它们有短期和长期记忆 They have short as well as long-term memory
并具备通过皮肤进行沟通的特殊方式 and possess a special way to communicate with their skin.
同时高度互动，触觉性良好 They're also highly interactive and tactile.
求爱仪式可持续数小时 Courtship rituals can last for hours,
一对章鱼将16条触手紧紧抱在一起 with couples intertwining all 16 arms in a sticky embrace.
一旦交配完成，它们将逐渐死去 Once they mate, their bodies are programmed to die.
对某些生物来说，这意味着仅6个月的生命周期 For some species, this means a lifespan of just 6 months.
对其它的，可能长达5年 For others, up to 5 years.
鱿鱼是章鱼的表亲 Cousin of the octopus is the squid,
它们谨慎地将卵产在海藻丛中 seen here delicately laying eggs in forest fronds.
我们经常把鱿鱼称作枪乌贼 We know squid more commonly as calamari,
尽管鱿鱼是全世界的美食 but despite being a favored delicacy around the world,
很多品种的数量仍在上升 many species are increasing in number.
像其他头足纲动物一样 Like other cephalopods,
它们充分利用海洋掠食者大量消失的机会 they're making the most of oceans depleted of natural predators
而且似乎比别的生物更能适应海水的变化 and seem more resilient than others to changing water conditions.
这个家族的另一个魅力成员是乌贼 Another charismatic member of the family is the cuttlefish.
它们如同具有魔力一般 These creatures have magical attributes.
外部，大眼睛令人印象深刻 On the outside, large eyes as expressive as our own.
内部，三颗心脏推动蓝色的血液 On the inside, three hearts that pump blue blood.
在繁殖季，它们三五成群 During their breeding season, they gather in small groups,
小型宇宙飞船般一个接一个急速前进 zooming amongst one another like miniature spaceships.
利用喷水的推进力 Masters of jet propulsion,
它们能向前，后及两边随意移动 they can move backwards, forwards or sideways with equal ease.
它们每年都会回到繁殖地 Every year they return to favorite nesting sites,
比如这个有毒火珊瑚 like this colony of venomous fire coral.
雄性用引人注目的表演和姿势 Males use dramatic body displays and postures
来竞争交配权 to compete for mating rights.
虽然竞争激烈，但几乎不用搏斗 So although competition is intense, it's rarely physical.
雌乌贼从嘴里取出一团卵 Clutching her brood of eggs in her mouth,
然后把孩子交由珊瑚来照料 a female surrenders her young to the care of coral.
火焰乌贼是名副其实的 The flamboyant cuttlefish is one of the tiniest cephalopods,
最小的头足纲动物之一 yet lives up to its name.
因骨板太小不能漂浮，所以它更多的是行走而不是游泳 Its cuttlebone is too small to float, so it walks more than swims.
它用闪烁的皮肤斑纹宣告自己毒性很强 And it has a highly poisonous flesh, advertised by its pulsing skin.
它也是致命的掠食者 It's also a deadly predator.
缩在外套膜里的的两条专用触须 Two specialized tentacles are contained within a muscular sleeve,
可以像矛一样迅速发射 which is launched like a spear.
拥有这种捕猎技巧，难怪头足纲动物 With this kind of hunting prowess, it's no wonder
成功地谱写了在珊瑚礁的生存故事 the cephalopods have been such a success story on the reef
无疑它们也将会在未来统治海底很多年 and will no doubt rule the seabed for eons to come.
珊瑚礁不仅对常住居民很重要 Reefs are not only important to their permanent residents,
对很多访客来说也很重要 but also to many oceanic visitors.
常有强烈的洋流以和上升流带来的丰富食物 Strong currents and rich upwellings of food often occur around reefs
出现在珊瑚礁周围，这吸引了魟鱼等流浪者 and attract nomads such as rays.
事实上，依赖珊瑚礁生存的海洋生物 In fact, the total number of marine creatures dependent on coral reefs
不计其数 is immeasurable.
可能有700万个物种在生活在这里 Perhaps as many as seven million species coexist here.
超过4000种热带鱼与珊瑚礁有关 Over 4,000 species of tropical fish are associated with coral reefs,
其中75%依靠珊瑚礁生存 of which 75% depend on the reef for their survival.
也许它们看起来像是彩色纸片 They may look like just colorful confetti,
但每种鱼都有自己的个性 but each fish is its own individual.
鱼类有嗅觉，听觉，视觉和触觉 Fish can smell, hear, see and touch.
它们能感受到疼痛并且有复杂的关系 They feel pain and have complex relationships.
绝大多数的珊瑚礁鱼类都会界定领地 The vast majority of reef fish have defined home ranges.
珊瑚礁供养，收容它们，使它们远离掠食者 The reef sustains them, houses them and conceals them from predators.
就像被隐形的线拴着的小风筝 Like tiny kites on invisible strings,
鱼儿在心爱的珊瑚礁周围徘徊 the fish hover above their beloved reefs,
只在觅食时冒险出去一下 venturing only far enough to snatch a meal,
除此之外与珊瑚形影不离 but otherwise inseparable.
鱼类和珊瑚之间的关系 The connection between fish and coral
是大自然的最持久的爱情故事之一 is one of nature's most enduring love stories.
人类从珊瑚和海洋的 Humans too benefit from a healthy relationship with coral
健康关系中获益良多 and the seas at large.
珊瑚礁在海中创造障碍物保护海岸线 Reefs create barriers to the sea and protect shorelines.
许多药物是从珊瑚礁中提炼出的 Various life-saving medicines are extracted from reefs.
海洋的衍生化学品被用来治疗许多疾病 Ocean-derived chemicals are used to treat many illnesses,
包括癌症 including cancer.
微小的海藻处理大气中的二氧化碳 Microscopic marine algae processes our atmospheric CO2
并产生70%的氧气 and produces 70% of the oxygen we breathe.
因此，像这些鱼一样，我们的生存需要健康的海洋 So, like these fish, we need healthy oceans to survive
还需要健康的珊瑚礁保护家园 and reefs to secure our homes.
不论在陆地上还是海底 In both our terrestrial world and the undersea,
创造与毁灭总是在不断地循环 there have been constant cycles of creation and destruction.
大自然的规则就是混乱 The rule of nature is chaos.
尽管珊瑚礁看上去很和谐 Although a reef looks harmonious,
它和其它生态系统一样混乱 it's as chaotic as any other ecosystem.
其中一种在混乱中生存的方法就是 And one of the ways to survive chaos,
不论你在海面上还是海面下 whether you're above or below the surface,
都要和别人合作 is to cooperate.
这种合作叫做共生 This cooperation is called symbiosis,
是一种存在于两种 a mutually beneficial relationship
不同物种间的互惠关系 between two entirely different species.
如果不能把自己变得有用的话 These little blue and black striped wrasse would be perfect fish food
这种蓝黑相间的小濑鱼将是完美的鱼食 if they hadn't made themselves so useful.
它们是靠清洁工作赚取来赢得生存的裂唇鱼 They're cleaner wrasse and earn their keep by cleaning.
这项服务如此重要 So vital is this service
以致于感激的主人从不敢吃掉它们 that none of their grateful hosts would ever dare to eat them.
当双方都获利时，平衡关系随即建立 Both parties benefit and a form of balance is achieved.
珊瑚礁中有种稳定的张力 There is constant tension on the reef
因为不同的物种在平衡中活动 as different species work out this balance
并努力延长它们在历史中逗留的时间 and try to maximize their moment in history.
对某些大鱼来说 For some of the bigger fish,
那段时间常被延伸到数十年 that moment used to stretch into decades.
有些甚至有一个世纪或更多 Some even lived for a century or more.
但是高龄者日益少见 But old age is a rarity now
标志性的珊瑚礁物种就在我们眼前消失 and iconic reef species are vanishing even as we watch.
野生神仙鱼的寿命有10到15年 Angelfish live for 10 to 15 years in the wild
是珊瑚礁中最可辨的生物之一 and are some of the reef's most recognizable species.
它们被收藏者视若珍宝 They are highly prized by collectors
但不幸的是，很多只能在水族馆度过漫长的一生 and, tragically, many live out their long lives in aquaria.
池中的鱼就像笼中的鸟 A fish in a tank is like a bird in a cage -
我们可以观察它们，却对其野生状况知之甚少 we're able to observe them but we get little idea of their wildness.
只有在这里，珊瑚礁中 It's only here, on the reef,
我们才能真正体会鱼类的生活有多么复杂 that we can truly appreciate just how complex a fish's life can be.
有的神仙鱼没有固定伴侣 Some angelfish are promiscuous,
有的因生活所需结合在一起 some bond for life,
有的则是一夫多妻 others have male-driven harems.
许多鱼类，包括这种纤美的三棘高身鲉 And many fish, including these delicate leafed scorpionfish,
忙于进行长时间的求偶仪式 engage in long courtship rituals.
每周都会发现新的鱼类 New species of fish are discovered every week,
每一个发现都成为新信息的财富 and with each discovery comes a wealth of new information.
有的每天产卵 Some spawn daily,
其它的直到20或30岁才开始繁殖 others do not begin breeding until they are 20 or 30 years old.
许多生命开始时是雄性，结束时却是雌性 Many start life as a male but die a female.
大多数具有高度社会性 Most are highly social
其智力超过我们的理解 and have intelligence beyond our comprehension.
翻译：coolguy 校对：样子@纪录片之家，hongjinw@纪录片之家
像在非洲平原上的牛羚和斑马 Like wildebeest and zebra on the African plains,
刺尾鱼和鹦嘴鱼一起吃草 tangs and parrotfish often graze together.
它们都是食草动物 Both fish are herbivores
以藻类甚至活珊瑚为食 and dine on algae and even live coral.
其它种类则聚集在珊瑚礁顶部 Other species converge on the reef crest.
这里暴露在波浪和阳光下 This area is exposed to wave action and lots of sunlight
有丰富的营养 and is rich in nutrients.
花尾连鳍鱼会搬动石块 Fish like this rock-mover wrasse
来寻找蠕虫和软体动物 literally move rocks in the search of worms and mollusks.
这样的觅食很辛苦 Dining this way is hard work,
所以它们并不总是愿意分享觅食地 and they're not always willing to share their patch.
其它鱼类挖掘基底并吞下一大口沙子 Others excavate the substrate and swallow large mouthfuls of sand.
它们的身体是为过滤沙中的海藻 Their bodies are specially designed to filter the sand for algae,
并通过腮排除废物而专门设计的 dispelling waste through their gills.
不是什么时候都能去珊瑚礁顶部 Access to the reef crest is limited.
只有涨潮并风平浪静时 It's only at certain tides and during calm seas
才可能在那里觅食 that it's possible to feed here.
万事俱备 When all the conditions are right,
鱼儿从几英里外游来抓住这个难得的机会 fish arrive from miles around to take advantage of this rare opportunity.
有的成双成对，有的独来独往 Some are in couples, others dine alone,
完全不同的生物一起觅食 and completely different species feed side by side.
这是生物多样性的最佳状态 It's biodiversity at its best.
古怪的泥土搬运工，比如鲀鱼 Eccentric earth-movers, like triggerfish,
也加入到晚宴中 also join the dinner party.
它们会用强有力的喙 They use their powerful beaks to cast aside whole chunks of coral,
抛开整块珊瑚 as they search for clams,
寻找蛤蜊，虾和蟹 shrimp and crabs.
它们已经无暇顾及餐桌礼仪了 They're much too busy to worry about their table manners.
像人类的城市 Like a human city,
珊瑚礁作为调和混乱的角色 a reef boasts an eclectic jumble of characters
不同生物各有自己的生活选择 conducting themselves in a variety of ways.
有独行侠，流浪者 There are loners and drifters.
有的进行秘密集会 There are clandestine meetings
地下活动 and underground movements.
有的小心机警 There are the watchful and the wary.
各种方式的自我表现 And different forms of self-expression.
就像在城市中一样，有奇怪的联盟出现 As in all of our cities, strange alliances occur...
古怪的时尚也可容忍 ..and odd fashion is tolerated.
无论美丑都有一席之地 Every beauty and beast has its place.
珊瑚礁和陆地一样，24小时为一周期 Just like the terrestrial world, a reef has a 24-hour cycle.
当下午的阳光开始黯淡 As the afternoon light begins to fade,
这些软鱼产卵后便马上离开 fish, like these anthias, spawn with abandon,
它们知道夜晚即将到来 knowing that night will soon follow
并利用夜色保护鱼卵 and conceal their eggs.
这时，小鱼抖动身体 Meanwhile, tiny fish shudder their bodies,
表明它们做好了交配的准备 indicating their readiness to mate.
无数的昼行鱼被苍茫的暮色刺激 And countless other daytime fish are inspired by the waning light
开始献殷勤或繁殖 to court or breed.
一对管口鱼跳着诱人的剑舞 Here, a pair of flutemouths engage in a seductive sword dance.
这是管口鱼式的“前戏” It's their form of foreplay,
并且已经持续了好几小时 and they've been at it for hours.
几千年来，猎人与猎物间的战争 Over the millennia, the battle between predator and prey
为海底生物的“军备竞赛”推波助澜 has fueled an evolutionary arms race under the sea.
大自然总是将她的设计升级 Mother Nature is always updating her designs
并淘汰过时的那个 and making old ones redundant.
动物们必须不断提高 Animals have had to constantly refine
它们的进攻和防御能力 their offensive and defensive capabilities.
结果可能像科幻小说 The result can be pure science fiction.
安康鱼和蝎子鱼的模样非常怪异 Angler and scorpion fish are as bizarre as they come.
它们是海绵的专业模仿者 They're expert mimics of sponges,
但有世界上最快速的一击 but have one of the fastest strikes on Earth.
不过它们肯定赢不了选美比赛 But they're certainly not out to win a beauty prize.
当它碰到同类时，爱是盲目的 When it comes to some of these creations, love is certainly blind.
从人类历史开始时，我们就对这无数生命着迷不已 This myriad life has enthralled us since the beginning of human history.
我们起源于海洋 We did originally evolve from the sea.
自从早期人类首次出现 And ever since early humans first emerged,
我们就被拉回到海岸边 we've been drawn back to its shores.
海鲜是受人青睐的食物 Seafood has been a favored diet.
贝壳成为货币和宝石 Shells have been our money and jewelry.
珊瑚石灰岩铺平道路 Coral limestone paves our roads.
沙子筑成房屋 Sand cements our houses.
我们的神话和传说，书籍与影片 Our myths and legends, books and films
充满了源自海洋的角色 are all full of characters derived from the sea.
当光线黯淡，主角开始变换 And as light fades, these characters begin to change
珊瑚礁的故事变得大为不同 and the story of coral moves into a very different narrative.
大型掠食性鱼类巡游在珊瑚礁边缘，寻找致命一击 Big predatory fish cruise the reef's edge, searching for a final kill.
昼行鱼匆忙躲藏 Daytime fish hurry into hiding.
这是个危险的过渡时间 This is a dangerous time of transition.
整个珊瑚礁里开始换岗 All across the reef, there is a changing of the guard.
夜班开始了 The night shift has begun.
人类对海洋知之甚少 Little is known about our oceans.
火星地表都被更精确地绘制过 The surface of Mars is better mapped.
大多数活珊瑚在水下浅于50米的地方 Most living coral reefs descend to only 50 meters or so,
那是由于对阳光的依赖 due to the reliance on sunlight.
但有些地方海床下降到11000米 But the seafloor falls to 11 kilometers in places.
这就是我们所说的“深渊” This is what we call the abyss.
夜幕下的珊瑚礁使我们感觉到 Night-time on the reef gives us a sense
深渊中可能的样子 of what this abyss might be like.
漆黑的一片富有活力，满是奇异生物 The inky black is very much alive and full of aliens.
在长有深海珊瑚的特殊地点 In special places where reefs drop to great depth,
深海浮游生物上升到水面 deep sea plankton rise to the surface
捕食浅水浮游植物 to hunt shallow water phytoplankton.
它们游经数百米 They travel hundreds of meters.
数以亿计 They number in their billions
每晚重复旅程 and they repeat the journey every night.
这是动物王国里最壮观的迁徙之一 It's one of the biggest migrations in the animal kingdom.
浮游生物猎人和猎物间的追逐 The chase of plankton-hunter and plankton-prey
引发了晚间珊瑚礁中更大的反应链 triggers a larger chain reaction right across the night-time reef.
篮海星从巢穴中出来 Baitfish snatch mouthfuls,
伸出网状触角 while basking stars emerge from their lairs
饵鱼借机大口抢食 and extend web-like arms.
当浮游生物疯狂地相互沟通时 The water flashes with color
海水闪烁着五彩颜色 as the plankton frantically communicate with one another.
珊瑚并不是无所事事的旁观者 Coral is not an idle bystander.
珊瑚礁已成为一堵满是嘴巴的墙 The reef has become a wall of mouths.
珊瑚真正的动物本性显示出来 The true animal nature of coral is revealed.
配备有毒刺和酸液的珊瑚虫 Equipped with poisonous harpoons and acid,
每一只都是一个无法逃脱的致命陷阱 each polyp becomes a deadly trap from which escape is impossible.
鲶鱼在行进中进食 Meanwhile, catfish eat on the run.
鹦嘴鱼睡觉时把眼睛睁得大大的 Parrotfish sleep with eyes wide open
或是隐藏在薄粘液膜中 or conceal themselves in mucus cocoons.
没有手电筒的话，人类无法在夜间视物 Without torches, humans are blind at night.
在水下，我们几乎不能辨别方位 Underwater, we'd barely know up from down.
但水下猎手却没有一点不便 But the undersea hunters are not at all disadvantaged.
它们用震动，电子脉冲和化学物质 Instead of sight, they use vibration, electrical impulses
代替视觉，来追踪猎物 and chemical traces to find what they're after.
石头墙，其实是石头鱼在等待伏击 Stone walls are, in fact, living stonefish waiting in ambush...
长有利齿的鰧鱼潜伏在淤泥中 ..while the sharp teeth of stargazers lurk beneath the muck.
猎物很容易在不知情时游向危险 It's easy to swim towards danger without realizing it.
这只海葵已成为连环杀手 This anemone has become a serial killer.
一只幸运的乌贼逃走了，并释放墨水掩盖其踪迹 A lucky squid escapes, releasing ink to cover its tracks.
海龙看着鱼儿四散 A pipefish looks on,
并有更多沦为受害者 as fish scatter and more fall victim.
下降到海床上 Down on the seabed,
食腐动物收集残羹剩饭 scavengers collect the scraps...
狮子鱼用长刺捕捉毫无戒心的猎物 ..while lionfish use their long spines to herd unsuspecting prey.
所有地方都有生命活动 There is activity in all directions,
形形色色的夜间猎人吃饱了 as night hunters of every description eat their fill.
躄鱼回来了，适得其所 The anglerfish is back and now completely in its element.
也许它的动作算不上优雅 It may not move with grace,
但那对捕食没什么影响 but that doesn't affect its chances for a kill.
它所需要的只是等待食物游进自己的嘴里 All it needs to do is wait for a meal to come to its mouth.
说到夜间狩猎 When it comes to nocturnal hunting,
海鳝因其邪恶外表而闻名 moray eels are known for their viciousness.
但其它猎手就不那么容易认出了 But other killers are not so easy to spot.
虾蛄老练又野蛮 Mantis shrimp are sophisticated and savage.
它们拥有极佳视力 They're armed with supreme eyesight
积极捕食猎物 and actively hunt live prey
其它甲壳动物，比如龙虾 while other crustaceans, like lobsters,
则在海底寻找剩菜 scour the sea floor for leftovers.
由于之前的繁忙时光 With a busy time ahead,
尽管周围有这么多的活动，昼行鱼仍试着睡觉 day fish try to sleep despite all the activity.
有些好像飘在黑暗中的幽灵 Some drifting like ghosts in the dark.
小丑鱼也试着睡觉，但并不容易 The anemone fish are also trying to sleep, but aren't finding it easy.
它们的扁平伙伴，斑点蟹，正在享受宵夜 Their flat-mates, the dotted crabs, are enjoying a midnight snack.
最活跃的夜间徘徊者是贝壳 Some of the most active night prowlers are shells.
大多数人只能从贝壳店或沙滩上的死贝壳了解它们 Many of us only know them from shell shops or dead on the beach.
但活贝壳更珍贵 But shells alive are much more precious -
它们好像吉普赛大篷车，在不断地移动中被海水擦亮 gypsy caravans, varnished by the oceans, constantly on the move.
黑暗也适合求爱的花斑连鳍衔鱼 Darkness also suits courting mandarin fish.
它们有很强的性冲动 They have an unusually high sex drive
如果需要的话，它们每晚都可以产卵 and can spawn every night if the urge takes them.
尽管水下的灯光可让我们匆忙一瞥 Although our underwater lights give us a glimpse,
我们仍然对珊瑚礁的夜间活动知之甚少 we still know very little about what happens on a reef at night.
而我们那种无理由的恐惧使之更加难以被了解 And our unwarranted fears have made it harder to learn.
我们对海洋的态度一直充满矛盾 Our attitude to the sea has been full of contradiction.
一方面我们尊敬它 On the one hand we've revered it,
另一方面我们将它视为敌人 on the other we've seen it as an enemy -
黑暗，深不可测，满是怪兽 dark and unfathomable, full of dragons and monsters.
深海怪兽早就 These monsters of the deep
被证实是我们虚构的 have long been proven figments of our collective imagination.
但有些人相信它们仍然以鲨鱼的形式存在 But some believe they still exist in the form of sharks.
真是天大的错误 How wrong they are.
这些神奇的生物比恐龙出现得还早 These magnificent creatures predate dinosaurs.
和珊瑚一样，它们在几次大灭绝中幸存 Like coral, they've survived several mass extinctions
并在塑造海洋进化的过程中扮演了同等重要的角色 and have played an equally vital role in shaping ocean evolution.
鲨鱼已在海洋中漫游了超过4亿年 Sharks have been roaming our seas for over 400 million years.
化石记录显示千万个物种出现并消亡 Fossil records show that thousands of species have come and gone,
但其中370种还和我们在一起 of which 370 are with us today.
它们在世界各地都能找到 They can be found worldwide,
有许多依赖于珊瑚礁生态系统，以获得保护和食物 with many dependent on coral reef ecosystems for protection and food.
作为顶级掠食者 As top predators,
鲨鱼影响了整个食物链的 sharks have influenced adaptation and evolution
适应性和进化 all the way down the food chain.
但是，与传统认识相反 But, contrary to popular myth,
鲨鱼不仅仅是依靠本能的捕食机器 sharks are not just instinctive eating machines.
许多种鲨鱼展示了强大的解决问题的能力 Many species exhibit powerful problem-solving skills
它们的脑和体重比与其它更高级的脊椎动物 and their brain-to-body-mass ratio is similar to many mammals
及许多哺乳动物相似 and other higher order vertebrates.
所以它们聪明，好奇，好交际 So they are as intelligent, curious and social
和某些我们更喜欢的动物一样 as some of our more favored animals.
它们不仅拥有我们具有的5种感觉 They not only possess the 5 senses we do -
视觉，听觉，触觉，嗅觉，味觉 sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste -
还能感知电流 but can also perceive electrical currents
和磁场 and magnetic fields.
如果我们和它们在水下 If we're in the water with them,
它们在几英里外就能感知到我们的存在 they can detect our presence from miles away.
它们能监测到我们的心跳 They can monitor the beating of our heart...
还能读懂我们的情绪 ..and read our mood.
涉及到人类时，它们通常是谨慎的生物 When it comes to humans, they are normally cautious creatures.
只要有可能，它们会避开我们 Whenever possible, they avoid us.
原因很明显 With good reason.
每年超过1亿条鲨鱼被杀 Every year, over 100 million sharks are killed,
这主要是为了它们的鳍 the majority just for their fins.
鱼翅是亚洲汤的传统配菜 Their fins are a traditional ingredient in Asian soup
其价值相当于鱼子酱 and their value rivals caviar.
鲨鱼被割去鱼鳍时还活着 The sharks are often finned alive
被扔回海里后才溺死 and thrown back into the water to drown.
由于过度捕捞 One third of all open-ocean shark species are now facing extinction,
所有公海鲨鱼中，有1/3的种类已濒临灭绝 primarily due to over-fishing.
如果说海洋里有杀戮机器的话，不是它们 So if there is a killing machine in our seas, it's not them,
而是我们 it's us.
所以鲨鱼都受到威胁 No shark is safe,
即使是最大的鲨鱼，鲸鲨 not even the biggest of them all, the whale shark.
长达15米，重达12吨，它们令人印象深刻 Up to 15 meters long and 12 tons in weight, they're an impressive sight.
它们是严格的滤食性动物，主要以浮游生物为食 But they're strictly filter feeders and dine mostly on plankton.
令人难以置信的是，它们也是非法捕鱼的受害者 Unbelievably, they are also victims of illegal fishing.
鲸鲨不是鲸而是鲨鱼 Whale sharks are not actually whales but sharks.
小须鲸才是游历在珊瑚礁中的真正的鲸鱼 True whales that visit the reefs include these, the minke.
但这些优雅的动物竟然也被人类捕杀 Incredibly, these graceful animals are still being harpooned.
无论如何，它们是那样信任我们 What trust they show us, regardless.
在我们开始掠夺海洋之前，它们是这个样子 Before we began to plunder the seas, this is what they were like.
连接着深渊与海面 Linking the abyss with the surface,
层层叠叠，银光闪闪 layer upon layer of shimmering silver.
大型鱼群是健康海洋的标志形象 A big school of fish is a defining image of a healthy sea.
这是力量和惊人适应性的展示 It's a show of strength and incredible physiological adaptation.
大多数鱼从头部到尾部 Running head to tail in most fish
有一排鱼鳞叫做侧线 is a row of scales known as the lateral line.
这条连接到脑神经的线 Connected to nerves in the brain,
包含有特殊的细胞 this line consists of specialized cells
对水的位移及运动很敏感 that are sensitive to water displacement and movement.
同时，鱼眼长在头部两侧 Meanwhile, fishes' eyes are located on the sides of their heads
使它容易看清自己同其它鱼的位置关系 to make it easy to see where they are in relation to one another.
所以，视力有助于保持鱼儿之间的角度和距离 So, vision helps maintain angle and distance between fish,
侧线则决定了整个鱼群的速度和方向 while the lateral line dictates speed and direction of the entire school.
这样，许多鱼可以作为整体来行动 In this way, many fish can move as one
跳着它们自创的水下芭蕾 and choreograph their own aquatic ballet.
许多鱼群是由幼鱼组成 Many fish school as juveniles
有约一半以上种类的鱼都会在 and around half of all fish species form aggregations
生命中的某段时间聚集成群 at some point in their lifecycle.
就算是喜欢独行的鱼也会时不时的加入鱼群 Even fish that prefer their solitude join a school from time to time.
梭鱼在晚上独自猎食 Barracuda hunt on their own at night
但白天成群结伴以获得保护 but hang out in packs during the day for protection and company.
它们有尖尖的头和流线型的身体 With their pointed heads and streamlined bodies -
可以长到2米长 up to 2 meters long -
它们像箭一样一起穿越大海 they fly in unison through the blue like polished arrows.
群聚使得掠食者很难专注于一个目标 Schooling makes it hard for a predator to focus on one target
这是很好的防御机制 and is a great defense mechanism.
进食时，这也是一股不容忽视的力量 It's also a force to be reckoned with when it comes to feeding.
少有浮游生物能逃脱张开的嘴的扫荡 Few plankton in the area will escape this sweep of open mouths,
比如这些罕见的滤食性鲭鱼施展的协同攻击 as these rare filter-feeding mackerel make their coordinated attack.
亿万年来，群聚行为曾在许多方面帮助鱼类 Over the eons, the art of schooling has helped fish in many ways.
但是现在，讽刺的是，它导致了鱼类的没落 But now, ironically, it contributes to their downfall.
下一次网就能捕捉到一吨鱼 Just one net can collect a ton of fish at once.
每年超过1亿吨海鱼被捕捞 And over 100 million tons of fish are hauled from the oceans each year.
大鱼群所剩无几 For the few big schools left,
穿过空旷的大海时，它们肯定感觉很怪异 it must feel quite eerie moving through so much empty liquid blue.
今天，对鱼群来说安全的地方 These days, one of the only safe places for schooling fish
只剩海洋保护区了 is a marine sanctuary.
自从建立保护区以来 Whenever sanctuaries have been established and policed,
鱼类数量缓慢增长 fish stocks have slowly increased,
这有助于恢复生物多样性 helping to restore biodiversity.
成功的保护区成为宝贵的时光胶囊 A successful sanctuary becomes a precious time capsule...
提醒我们海洋曾经是多么富饶 ..a reminder of how rich the seas once were.
而且能再次变得富饶 And could be again.
和动物园不一样，海洋保护区没有围墙 Unlike a zoo, a marine sanctuary has no walls.
所以它不仅有能力恢复邻近区域 So it has the capacity to not only replenish the immediate area,
还能恢复周围的海域 but the oceans around it.
我们给自己的海域起了不同的名字 Because we have individual names for our oceans
还有领土边界 and have territorial borders,
但我们忘记了只有一个生态系统 we forget that there's only one system.
只有一个海洋 There is only one sea.
海水，覆盖地球表面的70%，连接着所有生灵 Water, covering 70% of our planet's surface, connects us all.
即使在极地发生的事也会影响到珊瑚 What occurs even in our polar regions will eventually affect coral.
相反，每一个新的海洋保护区都是 And, conversely, each new marine sanctuary is another powerful step
拯救海洋的有力步伐 towards saving our seas.
当你意识到 And when you consider
海洋构成了地球上99%的生物圈 that the global ocean makes up 99% of the living biosphere of the planet,
那么每一步都很有意义 every step counts.
由于对许多海洋生物来说 Because reefs are such important breeding grounds
珊瑚礁是非常重要的繁殖地 for so many marine creatures,
这可能是全新未来的起点 this is where a new future might lie.
复苏是个日常事务 Renewal here is a daily affair
并带来神奇的转变 and brings with it magical transformation.
这里，石斑鱼求爱时，身体颜色变红 Here, a coral cod blushes a different color when wooed by its mate.
蓬勃的珊瑚礁就像水中的彩虹 A thriving reef is an aquatic rainbow.
就像石斑鱼的皮肤 And like the skin of the coral cod,
这些颜色自有其意义与功能 these colors have meaning and function.
银色的鳞片反射光线 Silver scales reflect light
使鱼儿和水中背景融为一体 and allow fish to blend into their watery backgrounds.
大胆，强烈的颜色使鱼儿在鱼群中 Bold, strong colors allow fish to recognize their own species
辨认出自己的同类 in a crowd.
颜色也可表明它是幼年还是成年 Color also indicates whether a fish is a juvenile or adult,
有些鱼在性成熟时，颜色变化非常明显 and some fish change color quite radically as they mature.
一旦鱼儿成为配偶 Once fish are paired up,
它们用身体的姿态和颜色 they can then use body posturing and color displays
来传达自己的意图 to communicate their intentions.
雄鹦嘴鱼竖起背鳍恐吓其它雄性 A male parrotfish erects his dorsal fin to intimidate other males
给近旁那条模样完全不同的雌鱼留下好印象 and impress a nearby female who happens to look completely different.
珊瑚礁里，鱼儿都在寻找交配的机会 And all across the reef, fish are on the lookout for a chance to mate
以传承它们宝贵的基因 and pass on their precious genes.
和人类相比，大多数海洋生物的一生短暂而紧张 Most sea creatures have short, intense lives compared to ours.
有些鱼只有短短几年寿命 For some fish, a few years constitutes an entire lifetime.
所以，珊瑚礁中的每一天都很重要 So every good day on a reef is truly great.
10年好时光就更棒了 A good decade is even greater,
这使无数海洋生物有机会 the chance for countless marine creatures
将它们的生命发挥到淋漓尽致 to live their lives to the fullest
并繁衍后代 and give rise to new generations.
要在热带海洋中生存 In the quest to survive in these tropical seas,
动物们必须极富创造性 animals have had to be highly inventive
有时还要打破自然规律 and sometimes nature's own rules are broken.
看看海马 Consider the seahorse.
这些拥有各种尺寸的神秘生物 These mystical creatures come in all sizes.
有的比你的手掌还大，有的却和你的指甲一样小 Some bigger than your palm, others as small as your fingernail.
最小巧的是侏儒海马 The daintiest of them all is the pygmy seahorse,
它们一辈子都绑在柳珊瑚上 whose life is completely bound to gorgonian coral.
海马家族有320种 The extended seahorse family consists of 320 species,
包括海龙，海马等 and includes pipefishes, pipehorses and sea dragons.
它们当中的大多数种类 In most species of pipefish and seahorse,
是由雄性养育后代 it's the male that broods the young.
这特殊的养育方式不是唯一使它们与众不同的地方 It's not just this unusual parenting that sets them apart.
它们有像马一样的脑袋 They have equine heads,
卷曲的尾巴 prehensile tails...
有骨板而不是鳞片 ..and bony body plates instead of scales.
尽管它们有龙一样的外表，很多鱼喜欢吃它们 Despite their dragon appearance, many fish like to eat them.
所以不被发现变成它们的特长 So not being noticed has become their speciality.
剃刀鱼擅长伪装成其它动植物 Ghost pipefish are expert mimics of other animals and plants,
包括海百合和珊瑚 including crinoids and coral.
它们的天敌很难发现它们 Their predators find it hard to see them
它们的食物也一样 and so does their prey.
它们一生中大部分时间都是头朝下 They spend most of their lives upside down,
专注于沙质海底 focused intently on the sandy bottom,
寻找小型甲壳动物 searching for the tiny crustaceans
这是它们的主要食物 that are their principal food.
而海龙的伪装是如此特别 So specific is their camouflage
它们鲜少远离其特定栖地 that pipefish rarely wander far from a particular habitat
同时完善它们的模仿细节 and perfect their mimicry down to the finest detail.
其他种类则是通过像漩涡 Other species conceal their true identity
和水流般运动来隐踪匿迹 by moving like eddies and currents.
有的假装是被沙包裹的木棍 While some pretend to be sand-encrusted sticks
或落叶 or fallen leaves...
或是一片海藻 ..or pieces of algae.
如果你知道如何观察，伪装大师无处不在 If you know how to look, the masters of disguise are everywhere.
在这水下伊甸园 In this underwater Garden of Eden,
甚至看起来是蛇，其实也是鱼而已 even the snake turns out to be a fish.
在海床上，欺骗屡见不鲜 Down on the seabed, deception is commonplace.
单个的珊瑚往往由沙砾区连接 Individual reefs are often connected by areas of sand and rubble,
这是所谓的“底栖地” and this is where the so-called 'bottom dwellers' dwell.
这里数量最多的是虾虎鱼 The most numerous of these are the gobies.
超过2000种虾虎鱼 There are over 2,000 species of goby,
使之成为最大的鱼类家族之一 making them one of the largest fish families.
很少有能长到超过手指大小的 Few of them grow bigger than your finger,
这使它们成为许多掠食鱼类的食物 which makes them a favored food for many large predatory fish.
所以它们很警惕，从不远离海床 So they're always on the lookout and never far from the seabed.
它们大部分时间都用来觅食 They spend most of their days feeding,
用腮过滤沙子寻找食物微粒 filtering sand through their gills to extract tiny food particles.
对虾虎鱼来说，沙子就是一切 Sand is everything to the goby.
沙子提供食物 Sand puts food in their belly
和藏身地 and also a roof above their heads.
许多虾虎鱼建造洞穴 Many gobies build burrows.
这是辛苦的挖掘工作 Its tiring excavation work,
合作者们有时在该谁干活的问题上不能达成一致 and partners sometimes don't agree on whose turn it is.
如果内部问题得不到解决 If the domestic argument can't be worked out,
这种伪装成大眼睛的虾虎鱼 then this species, camouflaged as big eyes,
会出去闲逛一会儿把问题解决 can always go for a stroll to smooth things over.
有些聪明的虾虎鱼已经找到为之服务的奴隶了 Some clever gobies have enlisted the services of a slave.
在这个非凡的伙伴关系中 In a most extraordinary partnership,
虾虎鱼和盲虾因相互需要而生活一起 gobies and blind shrimp live together, bonded by mutual need.
虾虎鱼藏身在盲虾挖出的洞穴中 The shrimps excavate a burrow in which the gobies can hide,
虾则吃它们的残羹剩饭 and they eat the goby's scraps.
虾虎鱼负责放哨，警告靠近危险的虾 The gobies act as sentinels, warning the shrimps of approaching danger.
鱼和甲壳类动物有如此密切的工作关系 The fish and crustacea have such a close working relationship
它们总是通过尾部，鳍或触角 that they're always connected,
相互联系 by tail or fin or feeler.
对于食物链底部的鱼类 For fish close to the bottom of the food chain,
安全的家是至关重要的 a safe home base is essential.
空间有限，好的房地产可谓来之不易 Space is limited and good real estate hard to come by.
擅入领地是不能容忍的 Trespassing isn't tolerated.
领土争端通常会被快速解决掉 Territorial disputes are normally quick to work out.
但也不尽然 But not always.
没有必要和 There's definitely no point picking a fight
这强大的装甲兽为敌 with this mighty armored beast.
棘冠海星是珊瑚的死敌 It's the crown-of-thorns starfish, corals' mortal enemy.
它们把胃吐出，并用胃酸覆盖珊瑚虫 By disgorging their stomachs and drenching polyps with acid,
它们吃活珊瑚，把珊瑚虫从礁石里吸食出来 they eat living coral and suck the life out of a reef.
海星在清洁空间和促进 The starfish play an important role,
生物多样性方面扮演了重要角色 clearing space and fostering biodiversity.
很少有和它们同样地位的生物 And few have stood in their way.
海星一直都是自然循环的一部分 The starfish have always been a natural part of the cycle.
但现在不那么自然了 But now the cycle is unnatural.
农业污染增加了水中的营养 Agricultural pollution has increased nutrients in the water,
引发赤潮（藻华） which in turn causes algal blooms.
幼体海星在享受海藻大餐 Starfish juveniles are feasting on this algae
同时越来越多的海星活到成年 and many more are surviving into adulthood.
现在棘冠海星的爆发定期出现在 Plagues of crown-of-thorns starfish are now regularly experienced
全世界的珊瑚礁中 on reefs worldwide.
但不是所有的都是坏消息 But not all infestations are bad news.
完美的例子就是有个不寻常的联盟 A perfect example is the unlikely alliance
出现在耳海绵与粉海参之间 between the eared sponge and the pink sea cucumber.
这种海绵对大多数生物来说是剧毒的 This sponge is highly toxic to most.
但海参已经适应它，并在此大量聚居 But the sea cucumber has adapted to live here in huge numbers,
并跑到海绵边缘产卵 rising off the edges to spawn.
这是一片生物蓬勃生长的不宜居住之地 This is an inhospitable habitat where creatures are thriving.
在不断变化的海洋里，这也许提供了生活的希望 Perhaps it offers hope for life in our changing seas.
这是万事皆有可能的绝佳佐证 It's certainly proof that anything is possible.
海洋世界永远在变化 The oceanic world is ever changing.
没有什么是一成不变的 Nothing stays the same here for more than a moment.
历史上，珊瑚总是来来去去 Over the ages, corals have come and gone.
今天，它们正在再次消失 Today, they are disappearing again.
但正是人类的存在，使它不同于 But what sets this cycle apart from any other in geological history
地质史上的其他几次循环 is the presence of us.
珊瑚的生存史上，这是第一次 For the first time in corals' existence,
人类直接影响海洋的化学成分 humans are having a direct impact on the ocean's chemistry
和珊瑚的命运 and corals' destiny.
许多科学家认为 Many scientists believe
我们正面临下一个大灭绝 we are heading towards our next mass extinction
而且人类就是罪魁祸首 and that humans are the cause.
造礁珊瑚已严重濒危 Reef-building corals are now seriously endangered.
当珊瑚礁消失时 And as reefs disappear,
众多依赖它们的生物也会随之消失 hundreds of thousands of dependent creatures disappear with them.
此外，珊瑚礁的消亡是海洋死亡的 Furthermore, the demise of coral reefs is a clear indicator
明确指示 that our ocean is dying,
海洋是地球的生命支持系统 and our ocean is our planet's life-support system.
拯救海洋的唯一方法就是 The only way to save our ocean
在未来一二十年内 is to radically curb our CO2 emissions
从根本上遏制二氧化碳的排放量 within the next one or two decades.
我们有实现这个目标的所有工具 We have all the tools to do it.
如果我们成功了，将不仅拯救珊瑚礁 And if we succeed, we will not only save our reefs,
最终还会拯救我们自己 we will ultimately save ourselves.
珊瑚的未来，珊瑚的故事如何结束 The future of coral, and how this story ends,
都取决于我们 is up to us.